Clamp for joint-fillers in concrete roadways.



F. P. OBENAUER.

CLAMP FOR )OlNTFILLERS IN CONCRETE ROADWAYS.

APPLlCATlON VFILED FEB. 2l. 1.916.

Pateutd A110'. 14, 19N.

WIT/VESSES: i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK '.P. OBENAUER, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS STEELREINFORCEMENT COMPANY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, .A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

CLAMP FOR 3' 01N T-FIIJLERS IN CONCRETE ROADWAYS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK P. OBnN- Annie,a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county ofVayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Clamp forJoint-Fillers in Concrete Roadways, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to clamps for use in the laying of reinforcedconcrete roadways and consists in the novel features of construction andapplication as hereinafter set forth and claimed. a v

The invention has for its object the provision of a clamp of simple andimproved form for binding the pliable iller between the guard orprotecting strips employed in the joints of reinforced concreteroadways, in such manner as to enable the parts to be readily assembledand firmly held preparatory to embedding the whole between the adjoiningsections of the road-bed in the operation of building the roadway, andwherein the construction is such as to enable the clamp to be readilyadjusted to accommodate variations in thickness of the memberscomprising the filler to maintain tliesides or jaws of the clamp inparallel relation upon the filler within the concrete, and permit of theready disengagement and withdrawal of the clamp' from the work with aminimum displacement of the concrete about said clamps at the joints ofthe road-bed.

A preferred embodiment of the essential features of the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a perspective view of a section of concrete roadway showingthe clamps applied tothe filler of the joint, in which a portion of theconcrete about one of the clamps is broken away to better show therelation of the parts.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the body portions of the clampdisengaged.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the clamp in position uponthe filler in the joint of the road-bed. a

Fig. 4 is an edge elevation of the clamp detached, showin the sidesorjaws in angular extended positions and indicating. by dotted lines theclosed parallel clamping position of the jaws.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail through the engaging ends of thebody members of the clamp, showing the parts adjustably and hingedlyconnected upon a shouldered stud or bolt.

The parts of the device herein referred to are designated bycorresponding characters of reference marked on the several views of theaccompanying drawings.

In forming the clamp I employ two body members l and 2, each of whichconsists of a rectangular sheet metal plate having one end bent at rightangles to the plane of the body to form a laterally extending portion 3and 4, respectively. These plates are assembled in reversely opposedrelation with the lateral extensions 3 and 4 overlapping each other andwith the body portions l and 2 lying in substantially parallel spacedrelation and forming at their free ends clamping jaws 5 and 6,respectively, between which the work to be clamped is embraced.

To provide for connecting the plates together at their angularextensions so as to enable them to be adjusted and secured relatively toaccommodate variations in the thickness of the work to be clamped and toinsure the parallel engagement of the jaws thereon, and also to providein such connection sufficient flexibility to permit of a limited angularmovement of the plates when adjusted to facilitate the engagement anddisengagement of the jaws with the work without disturbing theadjustment of the clamp, I employ a screw-threaded stud or bolt 7,having at the head 8 an enlarged annular shoulder or collar 9 whichextends lfreely through an aperture l0 formed in the extension 4 of theplate 2. This collar, which is slightly longer than the thickness of themember 4, is drawn into engagement with the under face of theoverlapping eX- tension 3 by the stem of the bolt which extends throughan elongated aperture 11 formed in said extension and in which said boltis adjustably anchored by means of a jam nut l2 and washer 13 embracingthe bolt and engaging the upper face of said extension, as clearly shownin Fig. 5. By this arrangement the two plates of the clamp may beadjusted toward or from each other to vary the distance between the jawsand then secured against bodily movement by shifting and locking thebolt within the aperture 11. The clearance afforded between theOverlapping extensies ,3 and L1, by the length and loose fit of thecollar 9 in the aperture 10, which relieves said members from bindingengagement and which may be further relieved by beveling the under faceof the head 8 of the bolt as at 14, permits the plates to swing or tilta limited angular distance and open thel jaws sufficiently toaccommodate variations and enable the clamps to be readily engaged anddisengaged without disturbing the adjustment of the pivotal connectionthus formed, and which, when properly set, will insure the parallelengagement of the jaws upon the work. Y

The jaws are drawn toward each other to embrace and bind the work underpressure by means of a transverse tie-bolt 15, the head 16 of whichengages the outer face of the'plate 2 and is provided with a squareshoulder 17 which is seated to prevent rotation in a squared aperture1S' formed in the body of saidy plate near the connected end thereof.The threaded end 18 of said bolt extends through an elongated aperture19 formedy in the plate 1 in alinement with t-he aperture 18 of theplate 2, and embracing the threaded end of said bolt in engagement withthe outer face of the plate 1 is a binding nut 20 and washer 21. Saidelongated aperture affords clearance for the movement of the bolt withthe angular movement' of the plates as the jaws are drawn upon the workthrough the rotation of said nut.

The clamp thus constructed is especially adapted for use in bindingthe'pliable strip of filling material 22 between the parallel protectingstrips 23 to retain said strips in alinement when placing them inposition to be embodied in the joint between the concrete sections 24 inlaying the road-bed, in which operation the end portions or jaws of theclamps extend into and areembedded in the concrete mass astride thejoint filling, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. As the clamps remain inposition upon the worlr during the setting of the concrete from whichthey are afterward withdrawn, it is desirable that they occupy as littlearea as possible andthat they may be readily disengaged from the fillerand withdrawn without disturbing the concrete or leaving comparativelylarge openings therein. This is provided for in that the jaws arecomparatively thin in transverse section, and being adj ustable toinsure their parallel relation when embracing the filler and embedded inthe concrete no angular or wedging resistance will be offered by theengaged surfaces of the jaws with the concrete to retard their directwithdrawal therefrom when released by the binding nut of the tie-bolt.

I claim:

1. A clamp comprising av pair of plates each having a lateral extensionat one end thereof, said plates being assembled in spaced relation withtheir lateral extensions overlapping each other, connecting meansanchored in one of said lateral extensions and loosely engaging theother of said eX- tensions to permit relative angular movement of saidplates thereon, and contractible binding means engaging said plates fordrawing the free ends thereof toward each other.

2. A clamp comprising a pair of plates each formed at one end to providea lateral extension having an aperture therethrough, one of whichapertures is elongated, said plates being combined with said lateralextensions overlapping' each other and with the body portions of saidplates spaced to form clamping jaws at their free ends, a connectingstudl extending freely through both of said apertures, said stud havinga shouldered head engaging the outer face of one of said extensions andbearing against the inner face of the extension having the elongatedaperture therein and carrying a nut engaging the outer face ofsaidextension for binding said stud adjustably in said elongated aperture,and a tie-bolt anchored at one end in'one of said plates and extendingfreely through the other of said plates and having a binding nutengaging the latter for drawing said' jaws toward each other.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification. j

FREDERICK I?. OBENAUER.

,Y Copies-of this patent may be obtained-for ve cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of' Patents,

Washington, D. C.

